Robots Roam the Tate Museum So You Can 'Visit' After Dark

London's Tate Britain museum has launched an interactive project called After Dark, which lets users control robots that roam the museum and inspect its artworks in the evening long after the regular visitors have left. Users can log in today (Wednesday August 13), Thursday 14 and Saturday 16 and Sunday 17 between 10PM and 3AM British Summer Time to view and control the robots. Those who don't get one of the limited spaces can watch a live stream.

The robots, created in collaboration with RAL Space (who work alongside the U.K. Space Agency UKSA), can go anywhere in the main galleries, but have sensors to crashing into artworks (or each other). Chris Hadfield, the former International Space Station commander and YouTube celebrity thanks to his performance from outer space of David Bowie's "Space Oddity," did a pilot run of the project last weekend, logging on from his Toronto office.

The project, created by design studio The Workers, was the winner of Tate's IK prize, named in memory of the philanthropist Irene Kreitman, which celebrates creative talent in the digital industry. It is presented by Tate for an original idea that uses the power of digital technology to connect the Tate's collection to a wider audience.